You're still protecting your secrets
by MissyWoodhouse
Summary: There are secrets one has to keep. Even when all the others secrets need to be shared. There are some which are just meant to be secrets. Even when no one understands why. AUish - Oneshot


_Having seen the Agents of SHIELD episode 1x20 "nothing personal" and Phil telling Maria that she is still protecting her secrets, my head came up with this idea._

_I hope you like it._

_Disclaimer: Borrowing everything expect the idea from Marvel and co..._

* * *

_"You're still protecting your secrets."_

Maria waits for the car Stark send to pick her up.  
Secrets.  
They had defined her life ever since she joined SHIELD.  
Now SHIELD was gone and Romanoff had spilled it all on the internet but there were still secrets.  
Secrets which should still be kept.  
Secrets that could destroy life's, would question several politicians and high ranked members of the military.  
Secrets that were kept to protect.  
Secrets she wasn't proud off.

She rolls her eyes but can't hide a smile as she sees that no car but a motor bike is approaching her.  
Stark never skips a chance to annoy her.  
The motor bike stops in front of her.  
"I thought he would send a car."  
"You know it was actually not his idea." She could hear his smile.  
"Damn and I thought I could play the annoyed one all day tomorrow." Maria replies as she puts on the helmet.  
"Guess you'll have to do it another time." She wraps her arms around him and they drive into the night.

Secrets.  
A secret that nearly cost her the trust of the entire Avenger Team was the fact, that Coulson was alive.  
Stark had called her Queen of the Antarctica and had overwritten her security level for a couple of days.  
Thankfully Pepper had talked some sense into him.  
Barton nearly lost it.  
Blaming her that he had lived with the guilt of being responsible for his handlers death only to find out that he wasn't dead.  
He had been off grid for a couple of days to who knows where. Natasha probably knew where.  
Natasha simply glared at her.  
Nothing more.  
Bruce had shook his head and tried to help to calm Barton who stood in the middle of the room ranting on how _inhuman_ Fury and she had been.  
Steve had remained silent a long time.  
He had this look of sadness, hurt and betrayal.  
He had told her once that he should have been nicer towards Coulson that he should have shown more respect.  
"Those are the reasons why SHIELD had to go."  
Thor had been the only one who had been happy to hear the news.

Maria doesn't complain as he takes a detour to the tower.  
She isn't even surprised as he stops in front of a diner.  
It was a small and cosy one and Maria enjoyed it to come here once in a while.  
The elderly lady behind the counter smiles as she sees the pair enter.  
"The usual for you two?"  
"Yeah thank you." Steve replies as they sit down at a table in the corner.  
"So how is Coulson?" He asks taking her hand.

_"You're still protecting your secrets."_

"Miss Hill, Miss Potts wants to see you in an hour."  
"Thank you JARVIS." Maria replies stifling a yawn as she gets up.  
She picks up the shirt laying over the chair and pulls it over her head.  
She gets herself a mug out of the cupboard and places it under the new coffee machine Steve got from Clint after winning a bet.  
With the cup of fresh coffee in her hand she goes over to the couch and sits down on the armrest overlooking the waking city.  
She hears the bedroom door being opened.  
"Did I wake you?"  
"No JARIVS did. There is nothing more beautiful as to hear Starks AI waking you up." Steve walks over to her and plants a light kiss on her forehead.  
"So there is no chance for a long and relaxed breakfast?" She shakes her head and leans into him.  
"Maybe tonight." She closes her eyes enjoying the touch of his hand on her waist.

They sit there for another twenty minutes saying nothing and sharing the cup of coffee.  
"I need to get ready for the meeting with Pepper."  
"Dinner is at eight."  
"I can't promise but I'll try." She steals a kiss from him before she heads for the bath.

"I'll cook some pasta if that is fine for you?" Steve askes as she is ready to leave for the day.  
"Absolutely. Don't forget the team meeting at four." She watches him coming over.  
"I won't but I bet Tony will. Now go and safe the world." He replies with a smile before kissing her.  
"That is actually your job sir." She replies smiling.  
"Touché. I love you." He says with a bright smile.  
"I love you too." With a last kiss she leaves.

_"You're still protecting your secrets."_

Actually she is protecting just one secret.  
The secret of being in love with Steve Rogers.  
She knows there are people out in the world who would do everything to know this little detail.  
To find the soft spot of Captain America.  
To find the weakness that would break him.  
She knew what it would cost her to be Captain Americas secret.  
She knew that it wouldn't be easy to be in this relationship.  
First him being Captain America.  
Second her being an independent woman with a history everyone else wouldn't even wish someone else.  
Third him being all overprotective.  
Forth her being used to be alone.  
Fifth him being old fashioned, something though she learned to love over the past years.  
Sixth her being a woman who wants to be love for who she was.

"Good morning."  
"Good morning Maria. Good to have you back." Pepper greets her as she enters the office.  
"How is Coulson holding up?"  
"It's tough but they'll get through it. There is a lot of paperwork coming." Pepper nods and continues the meeting with the usual talk about politics.

Secrets may make the live not easier yet they can safe people.  
Secrets may not be useful while building a team but sometimes they are needed.  
Secrets may cause more trouble than anything else but for a moment they will make things easier.


End file.
